


All Fall Down

by pansiesforthoughts



Series: pansiesforthoughts- February Ficlet Challenge 2020 [1]
Category: Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare
Genre: Angst, M/M, Tragic boyfriends, basically the patroclus' death in the iliad, big sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:27:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22540108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pansiesforthoughts/pseuds/pansiesforthoughts
Summary: Written for the February Ficlet Challenge prompt 1: Classical references.The story of the Iliad but Achilles is Romeo and Patroclus is Mercutio?
Relationships: Mercutio/Romeo Montague
Series: pansiesforthoughts- February Ficlet Challenge 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621819
Kudos: 5
Collections: February Ficlet Challenge 2020





	All Fall Down

**Author's Note:**

> The Iliad and Romeo and Juliet work together surprisingly well?  
> So the characters are:  
> Romeo as Achilles  
> Mercutio as Patroclus  
> Tybalt as Hector  
> Benvolio as random messager I guess? (oof)

Romeo watches Benvolio approach. He breaks into a run when he spots Romeo in front of his tent. As he draws nearer, Romeo can see his face is distressed. Something is wrong.

“Romeo!” He’s out of breath, and he grips Romeo’s shoulders, wide-eyed. Romeo notices tears glistening on his dusty face.

“What is it? Tell me.” Romeo stares at him, waiting. Benvolio takes a trembling breath in. He shakes his head and looks away. Romeo grabs his arms. “You’re terrifying me, what happened?”

“Mercutio… he went to fight Tybalt… and-” he chokes on his words, fresh tears run down his cheeks. “He’s dead, Romeo! Slain! Oh gods it’s too terrible…”

Romeo pushes him away, shaking his head. “No. No, it’s not true.” His head pounds, he doesn’t believe it.

“I saw him, it was horrible. Tybalt took his armour too. Your armour.”

Mercutio cannot be dead, this isn’t happening. He promised he would stay in the chariot.

Romeo remembers how Mercutio arrived in tears, begging him to return and help the army. Romeo had refused, a mistake now so dreadful he can’t bear it. Then the idea came to have Mercutio lead the Myrmidons into battle pretending to be Romeo… but he wasn’t meant to fight, that wasn’t the plan.

This all hits Romeo at once and he stumbles to the ground, clawing at the earth and his skin, leaving angry red lines across his flesh as he sobs. The only on that truly cared for him is dead. Gone. He can’t stomach it. 

Benvolio reaches out to touch his arm. Romeo thrashes wildly, tearing at his hair. “This isn’t real! You’re lying! Tell me you’re lying!”

“Romeo, I’m sorry,” says Benvolio softly.

“Bastard!” Romeo cries. “He was supposed to be safe! He was supposed to return to me!” He throws himself to the floor again. He doesn’t deserve to live. He should have gone out there. He should have lead the army. If he did, Mercutio would still be with him. He searches around madly, where is his sword? He ought to slit his own throat. He doesn’t want to live anyway.

As if guessing his intentions, Benvolio seizes Romeo’s wrists. “Please, you will hurt yourself. Calm down.”

Romeo wails, an awful, gutting sound that dies out as buries his head in his hands. Benvolio watches him fearfully. Romeo sniffs, anger building inside him. He wipes his eyes.

“Tomorrow, Tybalt and his army will die.”


End file.
